Fall is for fellowships: find your public interest job before you graduate.

Fellowships are one to two year jobs where new graduates do public interest work.  Typically, you must apply to these positions in the fall of your final year of law school.

Two kinds of fellowship.

Many large public interest organizations do not hire new graduates as full employees; instead, the only way in is through a fellowship for a fixed period of time.  These fellowships are a great way to start your career with unmatchable experience.  Positions are very competitive and organizations typically have fall deadlines.  Check PSLawNet.org (free registration), organization web sites, and the Equal Justice Works October Career Fair in DC.  These fellowships are typically applied for just like any other job.

Project based fellowships are very different.  Do you know how to fix a problem, make the world a better place, or fight a good fight for the underrepresented?  Project based fellowships give you the chance to develop your own job.  You must put together a plan for your project, find a non-profit that will host you and give you guidance, and submit grant like applications to finders.  Check out PSLawNet.org for its deadline list of funders and postings from potential hosts.  View current applications and past recipient information on funder web sites like Equal Justice Works and Skadden Foundation.

More details are available in the Fellowship Manual and the Public Interest Job Search page.

Important dates.

• Throughout late summer and fall:  application deadlines for fellowships.
• August / September:  Check Equal Justice Works for career fair postings and application deadlines.
• September 15, 2010: Equal Justice Works Funding Application deadline.
• October 4, 2010:  Skadden Funding Application deadline.
• October 22 & 23, 2010: Equal Justice Works Career Fair.

3Ls, do this NOW!

1. Read the Fellowship Manual.
2. Schedule an appointment to talk with Bill, the Public Interest Law Coordinator (lscs@lclark.edu)
3. Search PSLawNet.org and the Lewis & Clark Job Postings.
4. Search the PSLawNet.org list of Fellowship funders, and visit their web sites
5. Watch the Equal Justice Works website for information and job postings at their October Career Fair in DC.
6. For a project based fellowship, put together you plan and  talk to potential hosts.

Not a 3L, get ready for the future.

1. Begin thinking about your project, who will host you, who will give you money.
2. Get hands on experience with the community you want to serve or an organization that might host you.  Legal or policy work is preferred, but not legal work helping the people you want to serve is good too.
3. Check out what past project based recipients are doing at the EJW and Skadden web sites.
4. Talk to Bill, Public Interest Law Coordinator.
5. Get an externship or summer internship at the organization where you want to do a fellowship.
6. Will the work you want to do require you to be in DC, Ohio, or Texas?  Get yourself to DC, Ohio, or Texas for an internship or externship.